NEW YORK, NEW YORK, April 21, 2001: Forty-thousand onlookers witnessed the 14th Annual Sikh Day Parade, April 21, in Manhattan as part of the Baisakhi celebrations. The parade was led by Gurbax Singh Malhi, a member of parliament from Canada, who was the chief guest and members of the organizing committees from various Sikh gurdwaras and societies in the tristate area, Pennsylvania and even from Baltimore. Immediately following them was the float with Sri Guru Granth Sahib, their scripture, led by five Sikhs in yellow robes carrying Sikh flags. These five represented the “Panj Pyaras,” who were baptized by the tenth master, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, on Baisakhi Day in 1699 at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab. Twelve more floats from different gurdwaras and societies followed, with groups of Sikh men, women and children from the respective areas, chanting hymns from the Sikh scripture, with full devotion and reverence. There were a number of bands in between the floats and one gurdwara even had a karate team displaying martial arts. As is traditional for Sikhs, vast amounts of free food were provided for spectators and participants.
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